The town council's tax classification workshop planned for Thursday night has been rescheduled to Nov. 16. The council will also hold its formal tax classification hearing that evening.

The town is still awaiting state certification of new property values, which are needed for an accurate discussion.

The council is required to vote annually on how to apportion the tax levy. Last year saw Barnstable adopt a split tax rate for the first time, a 15-percent shift, as well as the full 20-percent residential exemption, which provides assessment credits for primary residences.

Finance Director Mark Milne said that the town's $83 million tax levy would produce a tax rate of about $5.70 if a single rate were adopted. If the council approves the same tax shifts as last year, this number obviously changes.

The delay will tighten the timeframe to issue the next set of quarterly bills, which needs to go out by Dec. 31.

The town missed that mark last year, requiring it to abandon the quarterly billing cycle for the second-half payments.

Milne said that a Dec. 7 vote by the council will still provide enough time to issue tax bills before Dec. 31.

The assessing division is finished with its required revaluation of property. Milne said the town's overall valuation went up about $300 million to $14.6 billion.

The new values are based on calendar 2005 actual real estate sales. Next year's interim revaluation will be the first to reflect this year's adjustment in the real estate market.

Once the state provides a preliminary certification of the town's new property values, there is a public disclosure period during which new assessments can be reviewed by the public before they are finalized.